Awkward is selling a record number of video games and then getting a wave of layoffs anyway. That's what happened to Hangar 13, the studio responsible for 2016's Mafia III. Publisher 2K confirmed a report made by Kotaku that staff reductions have been made at the Californa-based subsidiary.

Speaking in an official capacity for publisher 2K, a spokesperson told GameSpot that "there have been staff reductions at Hangar 13 in order to ensure that the studio's resources are properly aligned with its long-term development plans. These reductions will not influence 2K's ability to create and deliver its products that are currently in development."

"We never take these matters lightly, and are working with the affected employees to support them and explore potential opportunities throughout our organization." The original report from Kotaku's Jason Schreier indicated that a "large portion" of the studio's staff have been laid off.

2K's spokesperson did not provide exact numbers in its confirming statement. Prior to Mafia III's release, Hangar 13's staff count was in the neighborhood of 150 people. Mafia III was the studio's debut game. Their next project had not been announced, but the game was a seeming success, shipping 4.5 million copies to retailers during its launch week, which was a record for 2K at the time.

Critics were mixed in their reception to Mafia III. While praise was given to the game's story and dark themes and its protagonist -- the deeply textured Lincoln Clay -- criticism was leveled at repetitive gameplay, an empty open world and the presence of numerous technical issues at launch. The game received an aggregated score of 66 on OpenCritic.

Still, shipping 4.5 million units for any game is no easy feat. For reference, that year's other major open world game, Watch_Dogs 2 has sold an estimated 4.5 million units to date. Looks like sales success is no longer a guarantee against downsizing.

]]>Mafia III Developer Hit With Layoffs, Despite Record Launch Numbers for 2K GamesLootbox Backlash Is Good For The Industry, Says Witcher Studio CD Projekt RedNewsMatthew ArcillaWed, 21 Feb 2018 04:58:09 +0000http://www.toomuchgaming.net/blog-news/2018/2/lootbox-backlash-is-good-for-the-industry-says-witcher-studio-cd-projekt-red56d5457d8259b57a20245e80:56d54601e32140fc7fd2ec38:5a89496de2c4831ac9445d14The timing of these comments might seem odd, but last November word was
that Cyberpunk 2077 may introduce online elements, and that's caused some
concern about loot boxes.

Iwinski noted that while the revenue generated from loot boxes might look good “from a spreadsheet perspective,” doesn’t mean it’s good for the consumer. He said that full disclosure and information on products in order to make well-informed purchasing decisions should be part of a company's relationship with its customers.

Iwinski's statements are basically what gamers want to hear, arguing that a customer's purchase of a full-priced game must grant “numerous hours of gameplay and a significant amount of content."

“To me, this is a fair deal. You get what you paid for, plus we are always trying our best to over deliver. There is no better PR than a happy gamer recommending your title to their friends," said Iwinski. “The moment [customers] feel you are reaching out for their wallet in any unfair way, they will be vocal about it. And frankly speaking, I think it’s good for the industry."

Of course, Witcher 3: Wild Hunt was no stranger to additional paid content. CD Projekt Red released two hefty expansions to the game that retailed for a not insignificant price tag. But Iwinski argued that "each of them was a meaningful piece of content delivering many hours of new story and gameplay."

The timing of these comments might seem odd, given that CD Projekt Red has no current products relevant to a largely stagnant conversation about loot boxes. However, CD Projekt Red mentioned last November that the long-awaited Cyberpunk 2077 may introduce online elements, and that's caused some concern they may be taking about loot boxes.

But given Iwinski's remarks it's safe to assume that the company is disinterested in any kind of monetization that doesn't at least have the appearance of putting consumers first.

]]>Lootbox Backlash Is Good For The Industry, Says Witcher Studio CD Projekt RedFable Returns In The Form of Free-to-Play Card Game Fable FortuneNewsPCXbox OneMatthew ArcillaWed, 21 Feb 2018 02:50:25 +0000http://www.toomuchgaming.net/blog-news/2018/2/fable-returns-in-the-form-of-free-to-play-card-game-fable-fortune56d5457d8259b57a20245e80:56d54601e32140fc7fd2ec38:5a8bf9f5e2c4831ac9cbc9e8Flaming Fowl Studios announced that the collectible card game set in the
Fable universe will leave Early Access and launch as a free-to-play title
for Xbox One and PC by the end of this week.

There was a time when Fable was a marquee brand for the Xbox and one of the big deal franchises of the sixth and seventh generation of consoles. But after Microsoft shut down developer Lionhead Studios, it seemed the sun had set on the world of Albion.

However, Fable Fortune is one project that survived the shuttering of Lionhead. A collectible card game set in the Fable universe, it's been in Early Access on Steam and the Microsoft Store for some time. Today, developer Flaming Fowl Studios announced that the game will leave Early Access and launch as a free-to-play title for Xbox One and PC by the end of this week.

Fable Fortune features a single-player story mode, Heroic Tales, which lets players "experience the dramatic histories of the game's hardy Heroes". There's also an emote system for rudimentary comms between opponents, much like Hearthstone. And because it's Fable, one of those emotes is a fart.

Prior to this announcement, Fable Fortune had a Founder's Pack for $14.99 on Xbox One and Steam that grants players 20 card packs and a "very rare" Giant Egg card. That option will still be available once the game goes free-to-play.

Fable Fortune has an interesting history. It was in development at the Lionhead Studios together with Fable Legends, an online game that pits four player-controlled adventurers against one player-controlled villain. When Microsoft shut down Lionhead both games were presumed to be DOA.

However, former Lionhead staffers got together to form Flaming Fowl and were granted use of the Fable license to finish and release the game. In some way, this last-ditch to salvage the project led to a gradual rekindling of interest in the world of Albion, with some rumors that Microsoft is looking to renew the franchise. Just rumors, but still.

]]>Fable Returns In The Form of Free-to-Play Card Game Fable FortuneThem's Fighting Herds Is A Fighting Game Inspired By Ponies Of Magical FriendshipPCNewsMatthew ArcillaTue, 20 Feb 2018 10:06:00 +0000http://www.toomuchgaming.net/blog-news/2018/2/thems-fighting-herds-is-a-fighting-game-inspired-by-ponies-of-magical-friendship56d5457d8259b57a20245e80:56d54601e32140fc7fd2ec38:5a8bd6ad53450a655289eac9Originally the project was conceived as a My Little Pony game called
Fighting is Magic, but Hasbro nipped that idea in the bud for obvious
reasons.

After raising nearly $600,000 on Indiegogo way back in the year of Our Lord 2015, Them's Fightin' Herd's will be out this month. And by this month, we mean two days from now.

That's right, on February 22, 2018 we're getting a 2D fighting game inspired by the hit cartoon My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic. Its mythology was designed by Lauren Faust, the producer and co-creator of Friendship is Magic. Originally the project was conceived off as a more direct steal of My Little Pony game called Fighting is Magic, but Hasbro nipped that idea in the bud for obvious reasons.

Which is all for the better, I think. Them's Fightin' Herds doesn't feature ponies, but a cow, a reindeer, an alpaca, a sheep, a unicorn, a goat and a longma instead. That's just way cooler. The game promises to have its own unique mechanics, such as "juggle decay" which makes opponents gradually heavier when being juggled by a combo.

A recent Indiegogo update, saw Mane6 announcing a partnership with Humble Bundle. "Humble Bundle has provided us with the funding necessary to continue supporting Them's Fightin' Herds during and after we reach the final milestone of our promised crowdfund content," the studio said, referring to impending "Goat DLC and Goat story."

]]>Them's Fighting Herds Is A Fighting Game Inspired By Ponies Of Magical FriendshipBravo Team All Set For Release This MarchNewsPlayStation 4Carlos HernandezTue, 20 Feb 2018 07:10:26 +0000http://www.toomuchgaming.net/blog-news/2018/2/bravo-team-all-set-for-release-this-march56d5457d8259b57a20245e80:56d54601e32140fc7fd2ec38:5a8bbbfb71c10b58455a48c9A bundle pack was announced that comes with the base game and the PS VR Aim
Controller, for that extra immersion.

Looks like Supermassive Games' VR shooter is all set for release on March 7. It will set you back PHP 1,899 for a standard copy and if you want that extra immersion, there's a Bravo Team Bundle Pack that comes with the game and a PS VR Aim Controller priced at PHP 4,990.

I was fortunate enough to give Bravo Team a try during last year's ESGS in the Philippines and was left confused thanks to the demo provided. It was difficult to use with the PS VR Aim Controller and a much as I appreciate Sony's strong push to justify their VR peripheral, Bravo Team is isn't the best to sell the technology. Here's a short overview provided by Sony on what's going on in Bravo Team:

Bravo Team is set in a fictional modern day Eastern European city. When your escort missiongoes wrong and results in the President’s assassination, a country threatens to tear itselfapart...and your team along with it.

Supermassive Games have been busy releasing a variety of games with unique concepts. They released the psychological horror Inpatient last January, another PS VR experience set in a Sanatorium. They also released Hidden Agenda last October in 2017, and it's a story-driven game making the use of your smart phones to make decisions in the game that will shape the narrative.

]]>Bravo Team All Set For Release This MarchThe Seven Deadly Sins: Knights of Britannia Review - Boar Hat AdventuresPlayStation 4ReviewsCarlos HernandezTue, 20 Feb 2018 06:07:59 +0000http://www.toomuchgaming.net/blog-news/2018/2/seven-deadly-sins-knights-of-britannia-review56d5457d8259b57a20245e80:56d54601e32140fc7fd2ec38:5a855d7124a69403d72d7e82Seven Deadly Sins: Knights of Britannia is a fighting game that will be
difficult to recommend for those new to the show and to big fans of the
series.

Boar Hat Adventures

Played On: Standard PlayStation 4What I've Played:

Finished the main story quests in Adventure Mode

Had three more characters left to unlock for Duel Mode

Played a few rounds in online play

Played a few local matches in Duel Mode

It was hard for me to get into The Seven Deadly Sins: Knights of Britannia, a fighting game where you can play as one of the characters from the recent anime and relive the events of the first season. It’s a fan-service game where battles take place on a 3D stage, with the usual attacks and character movement you would see in anime games like these (such as Dragon Ball Z: Budokai Tenkaichi series, J-Stars Victory VS, etc.).

There are two modes available - Adventure mode and Duel mode. Adventure mode’s narrative is pretty much a simplified version of the series’ first arc. It starts with Elizabeth looking for the help of Meliodas to find the Seven Deadly Sins, a group that has supposedly betrayed her kingdom. Luckily, Meliodas is the captain of said group, and together they go on a journey to gather the rest of the Deadly Sins to thwart a coup d'état to overthrow the current king.

The dialogue throughout Adventure does very little for those that are new to the series. There is not enough context to get a full grasp of the world and it’s created with the assumption that you’ve already watched the first season of the series.

The Magic Item tree where you unlock items to boost character stats.

You travel from town to town, battling a finite amount of soldiers or characters from the series, and physically move The Boar Hat to each location. Each mission can range from 1v1, 2v1, or 2v2 battles. For some reason, there are also side missions where you play as a helpless Elizabeth, tasked to pick up shiny items on the ground with Hawk, the cute talking pig, who’s tagging along to protect her from enemies.

There’s a rhythm in the game’s Adventure mode that was hard to shake off. You go to one mission, gather gossip from townsfolk to unlock more missions, do said missions (mostly involving you beating helpless soldiers and characters), and so on. It’s a long chore at best, with hilarious banter from townsfolk freaking out that their houses are being decimated by the battle. When it come to the fights, the AI isn't challenging, and the only form of difficulty arises during missions with time limits. You can craft magic items with the rewards you get from each mission; these provide stat boosts for Meliodas and his group. Weirdly enough, the game was so simple that I was able to go through most of the content barely touching said feature. I think I had one item equipped just for the sake of trying it out. The fact that I found no use for the supplemental magic items completely negated the need to pursue any content that would derail me from the main story.

The Seven Deadly Sins: Knights of Britannia Duel Gameplay - PS4

With a game focused foremost on pleasing fans, this take on Seven Deadly Sins missed the opportunity to make its characters shine. Each character has a signature move, available by pressing R2, and I was expecting flashy animations to emphasize the power of the character. Instead, we were pretty much given a simple cutscene, followed by a big explosion that deals massive damage. Even the iconic fights in the series’ first arc weren’t presented well, if they were presented at all. This would have been a perfect chance to recreate these battles in the game engine, but instead, a regular match between the two characters is just followed by the conclusion of the conflict through typical chat dialogue.

The Seven Deadly Sins: Knights of Britannia is best appreciated when playing in Duel mode - that is, using your favorite character from the series and fighting against friends and players online. However, this cannot be done the moment you boot the game, because most of the game’s roster is locked away, forcing the player to go through Adventure mode in order to unlock each character one by one. It’s unusual nowadays in fighting games to totally limit one mode simply because you have not gone through the other one.

I had fun at times with certain fights, but most of them saw me pressing the same attack chains and receiving the same results. There’s no solid push or tutorial to help one to best utilize each character’s moveset, nor is there any encouragement or incentive to step up one’s game, since neither AI nor online players are doing anything differently. At the very least, I was hoping this would be a game to entice people to check out the series, or highlight the great moments that make Seven Deadly Sins a great Shōnen anime. Instead, we have a game that could potentially confuse newcomers, and which provides very little for big fans of the series.

Rainbow Six Siege's Six Invitational Tournament happened last weekend and with it comes new details of the tactical shooter's next big update. Operation Chimera will not only come with two new attacking operators but it will also include a co-op mode called Outbreak, putting three players against deadly creatures created by the Chimera virus. There will be five types of enemies in this mode and Ubisoft has provided the descriptions for each one:

Grunts - Grunts are common hostiles that become highly resistant when the parasite detects an enemy presence. To protect its host, the parasite armors its body and becomes more resistant to bullet wounds. Caution and stealth is recommended.

Breachers - Breachers are proximity bombs that crater anything in their path. They make for a very agile opponent, but they launch themselves into the fray and blow holes in indestructible walls. Make sure you are nowhere close to them.

Rooters - Rooters are a more rare type of hostile. They send out coral spikes from the ground to injure and immobilize their targets. Rooters are always on the move and will keep you on edge. Beware when dealing them the final blow; they become extremely lethal when on the brink of death.

Smashers - Smashers are not discreet. The parasite reinforces its body under a massively thick hide, making it practically impervious to bullet wounds. They will also tear down walls without suffering any injuries.

Apex - Apex is at the top of the ET food chain. It sends waves of hostiles your way rather than attack you head-on. They can hurl blinding projectiles, which can only be countered by Finka and Doc. This opponent is a real test of your team’s communication skills.

This is the first time we see an event that brings in a new game mode to Rainbow Six Siege, and probably the first time we see new operator interactions since the release of the game. In the gameplay above you, you can see operator Thermite giving details of the operation and updating the team on the ground about the current situation.

The Outbreak game mode is an event that will be available for a limited time on PS4, Xbox One, and PC from March 6 to April 3. New Alpha packs will be available during the event that brings in a variety of new cosmetic items themed around Operation Chimera.

New Operators - Finka and Lion

In Operation Chimera, we are getting two new attacking operators. Finka's gadget will be the first time the attacking side will have a buff of sorts to aid her team. Thanks to nanites already in your team's systems, Finka can activate them with a press of a button to give the team a boost in health, faster movement speed when going through barbed wires, reduced duration of concussion effects, and a reduced recoil fire for a limited time. Finka's boost in health can also be used to revive downed teammates, giving back 25 life. Finka can activate her ability twice per round and thankfully there are drawbacks to having the buff active. Pulse can detect you in far distances and you take more damage from Smoke's gas grenades. Echo's Yokai and Lesion's needle traps can also be used to cancel the effects of Finka's buff. It's hard to tell how it will affect the game's balancing but it's good to know there are a few positives the defending team can exploit because that reduced recoil sounds amazing. Finka will be a two speed and two armor, and her primary weapon choices are the Spear .308, SASG-12, and 6P41.

Lion's gadget might sound a bit overpowered but the drawbacks placed on it makes it an interesting ability that both teams can utilize. For a very short time, Lion's gadget ability can reveal the location of enemy defenders that are currently moving during the scan. Wall hacks, pretty much. But your location is only revealed if you are moving. Not moving your character's feet protects you from Lion and everybody in the game will get alerted if Lion is about to scan the area. He only has three scans and gadgets such as Mute's disruptor can protect you from Lion. Lion will be a two speed and two armor operator, and his primary weapon options are the V308, 417 Marksman Rifle, and SG-CQB.

It's interesting to see two new attackers coming in to start season 3, instead of the usual 1 new operator per side. Once these two are out in March the meta will change and just like every release, it will be a different game again thanks to the new team compositions.

]]>Rainbow Six Siege Operation Chimera Detailed, New Operators RevealedWhere The Water Tastes Like Wine Is Set For Release This MonthPCNewsMatthew ArcillaMon, 19 Feb 2018 07:35:25 +0000http://www.toomuchgaming.net/blog-news/2018/2/where-the-water-tastes-like-wine-is-set-for-release-this-month56d5457d8259b57a20245e80:56d54601e32140fc7fd2ec38:5a8a77eeec212d1cb4caa18a"This history of folk culture, of sharing ideas and adding your own take
[is] one of the major themes of the game," said creative director Johnnamen
Nordhagen.

Promising a story about stories, the indie game Where the Water Tastes Like Wine sees players on the road across a dusty America, meeting fellow vagabonds with something to say.

Today, Good Shepherd Entertainment announced that the game will arrive on February 28th for PC, Mac and Linux. It will retail for about $20, give or take a few dollars depending on your Steam region. A special 'Wayfarer' edition will also be sold for a few bucks more which includes a digital art book and thegame's soundtrack by Ryan Ike.

Given the central role that the folk soundtrack plays in the game's identity, that soundtrack is probably worth the price of admission, moreso for you audiophiles. Creative director Johnnemann Nordhagen said that the title of the game "comes from a song, but really it comes from a whole tradition of songs."

"The earliest known version of the song was recorded in 1924, and doesn't include the 'where the water tastes like wine' lyric," Nordhagen told Engadget. "Other musicians added that later, as they took the song and changed it or molded it into new forms. And that's one of the major themes of the game -- this history of folk culture, of sharing ideas and adding your own take."

"It's hard to understand, in our current copyright regime, what sharing music and stories used to look like," Nordhagen added. The game doubles down on this by featuring different stories written by different authors such as former games journalist Leigh Alexander, Campo Santo Quarterly editor Duncan Fyfe, Rock Paper Shotgun alumni Cara Ellison and Waypoint boss Austin Walker.

]]>Where The Water Tastes Like Wine Is Set For Release This MonthFight Of Gods Is A Fighting Game With Santa Claus And Jesus In ItNewsCarlos HernandezMon, 19 Feb 2018 07:08:40 +0000http://www.toomuchgaming.net/blog-news/2018/2/fight-of-gods-is-a-fighting-game-with-santa-claus-and-jesus-in-it56d5457d8259b57a20245e80:56d54601e32140fc7fd2ec38:5a85481924a69403d72b36cbFight of Gods is already out on Steam's Early Access program.

Yes, we are not kidding. Jesus and other known gods are in a fighting game, and to make things more interesting, developers Digital Crafter have added in Santa Claus because...well why not?

It was revealed last December and we saw the fighting game at Taipei Game Show 2018. As much as this game will make a lot of people shaking their heads, so far it's slowly turning out to be a competent fighting game. Animations do look stiff, but it works as a proper fighter complete with aerial juggles, corner combos, and if I'm seeing things right, cross-ups (A jumping attack that would require the defending player to block the opposite site thanks the attacker landing on the other side.

It's available on Steam right now and it's under the Steam Early Access program for less than P300. Apparently, there's already a DLC character called Freyja for purchase which is weird because this game is considered to still be in development, but let's not get into that.

]]>Fight Of Gods Is A Fighting Game With Santa Claus And Jesus In ItShaq Fu Sequel Is Not A Joke, Is Really HappeningNintendo SwitchPlayStation 4Xbox OneNewsMatthew ArcillaMon, 19 Feb 2018 00:54:03 +0000http://www.toomuchgaming.net/blog-news/2018/2/shaq-fu-sequel-is-not-a-joke-is-really-happening-9p7zl56d5457d8259b57a20245e80:56d54601e32140fc7fd2ec38:5a89472241920223d07fa06bThe notoriously terrible Shaq Fu has become a cult classic, emblematic not
only of bad 90s game design, but a confusing era of celebrity-endorsed
videogames.

It's been twenty four years since the release of the notoriously terrible Shaq Fu on the Sega Genesis and Super Nintendo. Since then, the game -- which stars former basketball pro Shaquille O' Neal -- has become kind of a cult classic, emblematic not only of bad 90s game design, but a confusing era of celebrity-endorsed videogames.

And now, the developers behind a sequel called Shaq Fu: A Legend Reborn have announced that it's definitely coming out sometime this spring. A Legend Reborn was crowdfunded on Indiegogo way back in 2014, but news about the game's development has been sparse since then. The game is more akin to a comedy beat 'em-up, and as the title demands, will feature Shaquille O'Neal's likeness.

In an update posted to Indiegogo, the studio behind the game, Big Deez Productions, said that "unforeseen difficulties" made for a "long, difficult road" in getting the game released. “You wouldn’t believe some of the problems we’ve encountered,” Big Deez Productions said. "We wrote the game over three years ago and had not [sic] idea what history had in store for the world at that time."

As a result, Big Deez Productions had to rewrite certain story elements and rework sections of the game impacted by them. The studio did not give specifics as to what those changes entailed, though. Licensing issues were also reportedly a source of headaches, details one report from Techraptor.

Shaq Fu: A Legend Reborn will arrive for Nintendo Switch, PC, PlayStation 4 and Xbox One this spring, after being picked up by Saber Interactive, the same publisher behind NBA Playgrounds. The trailer below acknowledges the reputation of the original Shaq Fu, and promises it will be, "better than the old one."

On an additional note, Polygon reported that owners of the Switch version of NBA Playgrounds will be receiving Shaq Fu: A Legend Reborn as an apology freebie.

]]>Shaq Fu Sequel Is Not A Joke, Is Really HappeningHow To Play As Ryu In Monster Hunter WorldNewsCarlos HernandezFri, 16 Feb 2018 06:46:06 +0000http://www.toomuchgaming.net/blog-news/2018/2/how-to-play-as-ryu-in-monster-hunter-world56d5457d8259b57a20245e80:56d54601e32140fc7fd2ec38:5a86718571c10bc44da1ff11Do some monster hunting as Ryu's theme music plays in the background.

A new batch of limited bounties have appeared yet again for Monster Hunter: World players, but this week you get something a little extra if you've played Street Fighter V.

A crossover quest is live today and you get to play as the wandering warrior Ryu from Street Fighter. If you play enough of the quest, you might be able to play as Ryu for the rest of the game.

The quest to play as Ryu can be found at the Gathering Hub. Head there and talk to the Arena Counter, pick Challenges and you'll see a quest called "Down the Dark, Muddy Path" which tasks you to take down a large Barroth in the Arena, equipped with items and weapons provided for you. Take note that you need to be Hunter Rank 3 or higher to do the challenge, but I'm sure most of us are already past that point.

Currently, the Street Fighter crossover quest is only available to players with Street Fighter V save files in their PS4 system. Capcom did state that the ability to play Ryu will be available to everyone "at a later date".

Crafting Ryu

To play Ryu outside the Challenge quest you'll need to gather a few items so that the Smithy can craft you the full Ryu armor set. Here's what you'll need:

SFV Ticket x7

Monster Bone M x6

Earth Crystal x6

Barroth Shell x5

SFV Tickets can be picked up by completing the crossover quest. Just do it again if you need more. So start grinding for those tickets and confuse other players as to why you look the way you do.

]]>How To Play As Ryu In Monster Hunter WorldNext Steam Sale Could Be The Lunar New Year SaleNewsCarlos HernandezThu, 15 Feb 2018 09:22:38 +0000http://www.toomuchgaming.net/blog-news/2018/2/next-steam-sale-could-be-the-lunar-new-year-sale56d5457d8259b57a20245e80:56d54601e32140fc7fd2ec38:5a854a7ae4966b15dda4aaaaA Lunar New Year sale from Steam is expected, just in time for the long
weekend.

For those looking to pick up a new game for the long weekend, wait just a little bit longer because we might see a Lunar New Year Steam sale soon, like, tomorrow even.

Based on SteamDB, who seems to be accurate at releasing these kinds of details ahead of time, suggested that Steam will hold a Lunar New Year Sale from February 15 - 19.

The next @steam_games sale is Lunar New Year Sale and will run from February 15th to 19th.

Thanks to Steam Direct, it now takes less than 5 hours for that information to leak.

Based on SteamDB, the details were found in Steam's Steam Direct, the replacement of Steam's Greenlight program which now needs paperwork and a fixed payment instead of community input to determine if a game will be published on Steam.

This comes as no surprise that people can pinpoint the dates of when Steam launches a sale. It's been happening for years and most of the time it comes out accurate, giving folks a heads up to take advantage of the reduced prices.

Based on the previous sale, which was the Winter Sale, the sale could start around around 10am PT, 6pm GMT. So again, if you are planning to pick up a game, give it a day or two before buying. The last thing you want is seeing your newly purchased game reduced by more than 50%.

]]>Next Steam Sale Could Be The Lunar New Year SaleOPUS: Rocket of Whispers Won Best Narration At Taipei Game Show 2018NewsCarlos HernandezThu, 15 Feb 2018 08:37:05 +0000http://www.toomuchgaming.net/blog-news/2018/2/opus-rocket-of-whispers-won-best-narration-at-taipei-game-show-201856d5457d8259b57a20245e80:56d54601e32140fc7fd2ec38:5a85388de2c4835ce8f06513OPUS: Rocket of Whispers is out now on iOS and mobile and is planned for a
PC and Switch release this year.

OPUS: Rocket of Whispers made quite the impression when it was showcased at this year's Taipei Game Show. Nabbing Best Narration at TGS's Indie Game Awards, this narrative-driven walking simulator tells the story of a young boy that searches for pieces of a space rocket in a post-apocalyptic setting.

It has a beautiful art style with a top-down perspective that's feels like an unusual way for a game focused heavily on narrative. This is actually a sequel to OPUS: The Day We Found Earth, which had a different approach as well when it comes to gameplay, also focused on the story and its characters. The Day We Found Earth was able to garner 3 million downloads since its release.

OPUS: Rocket of Whispers is out now on iOS and Android but developers are planning a PC release this February as well as a Nintendo Switch sometime in March.

]]>OPUS: Rocket of Whispers Won Best Narration At Taipei Game Show 2018Dead Space Is On The House Again On OriginNewsCarlos HernandezWed, 14 Feb 2018 04:01:06 +0000http://www.toomuchgaming.net/blog-news/2018/2/dead-space-is-on-the-house-again-on-origin56d5457d8259b57a20245e80:56d54601e32140fc7fd2ec38:5a837bc4652dea6c8979a98eOne of the best survival horror game of the past decade is free yet again.

One of the best survival horror games of the past decade is now free on EA's 'On The House' program on Origin for a limited time. Grab a copy right now before you miss your chance.

This is the second time EA has given Dead Space for free. The first time was back in March 2014 on the same program.

Released back in 2008, you play as Isaac Clarke, an engineer sent with a team to investigate a distress signal sent by the USG Ishimura. Naturally, things go horribly wrong and you find Isaac wandering around a near-abandoned starship, improvising mining equipment to fend off waves of Necromorphs, deformed creatures spawned from human remains. Not only did Visceral Games create a horrific atmosphere, they implemented a new twist in the game's gameplay -shooting the head or body isn't the best solution when dealing with these creatures. Dismembering their limbs were the best way of dealing with Necromorphs, which creates another layer of tension when you have one of these nasties in front of you.

It's a fantastic series and they did an even better job with the sequel. Sadly, we most likely won't be seeing anything new from the franchise anytime soon. EA closed down Visceral Games last October, which was actually hard at work on a new Star Wars game.

]]>Dead Space Is On The House Again On OriginSonic The Hedgehog Modded Into Dragon Ball FighterZ, Complete With Super SonicNewsCultureCarlos HernandezWed, 14 Feb 2018 03:01:39 +0000http://www.toomuchgaming.net/blog-news/2018/2/sonic-the-hedgehog-modded-into-dragon-ball-fighterz-complete-with-super-sonic56d5457d8259b57a20245e80:56d54601e32140fc7fd2ec38:5a839cb5e2c4838034298243As usual, the modding community is doing great work at giving players the
options to fully customize their game, even if it looks ridiculous.

It's great. If there's one thing that I enjoy when getting a PC version of a title, its that the modding community might just give you a handful of options to customize your game. So, watch Sonic the Hedgehog beatthe crap out of Dragon Ball FighterZ characters above.

Modder Beatz uploaded the work-in-progress video showing Sonic Skins overwriting the character Teen Gohan. The voice and move sets of Teen Gohan are present but the new skin looks to be working as intended, doing kamehamehas with a grin on this face. Beatz states that there's a lot of work to be done before release but it's looking good so far.

Since release, the modding community have been providing the player base different variations of each character from having Goku at Super Saiyan 3 mode at all times to how Frieza looks at 100%. The Sonic mod is probably one of the first characters outside the series to be ported into the game.

The work done on this mod is a collaboration between modders BeatzYT3, SirGiygas, NibrocRock, and _Mizumi. It's not available just yet but check out the Dragon Ball FighterZ website for any updates.

Dragon Ball FighterZ is doing pretty well since it was released a few weeks ago. It's an amazing fighting game by System Arcs Works that caters to fans of the series and to veteran fighting game enthusiasts with its deep game mechanics. It's now also a major feature in this year's Evo tournament, the biggest fighting game tournament event in the world.

]]>Sonic The Hedgehog Modded Into Dragon Ball FighterZ, Complete With Super SonicGod of War Exclusive Footage Was Projected On The Floor Of An NBA GameNewsPlayStation 4Matthew ArcillaWed, 14 Feb 2018 01:12:33 +0000http://www.toomuchgaming.net/blog-news/2018/2/god-of-war-exclusive-footage-was-projected-at-nba-court56d5457d8259b57a20245e80:56d54601e32140fc7fd2ec38:5a837672e4966b5dba9ce456We're not sure whether this is the first time a sporting location has
served as an exclusive venue for upcoming game footage, but it's pretty
cool nonetheless.

I don't know how many of you all out there are sportsball fans, but it seems that those sportsball fans who were in attendance at the February 10 NBA match between the Golden State Warriors and San Antonio Spurs got a glimpse of one of the coolest pieces of God of War's marketing campaign.

As Sony's marketing for this game escalates in the weeks leading to God of War's April 20 release date, it's going to be tough to top this promo. Instead of the typical halftime show, a 3D projection of God of War footage was displayed from the jumbotron and onto the hardwood floor of the court.

The footage included a dramatic scene between Kratos and his son Atreus, followed by some cool action set pieces. We're not sure whether this is the first time a sporting location has served as an exclusive venue for upcoming game footage, but it's pretty cool nonetheless. Halftime shows aren't typically broadcast, so only those in attendance got to see it.

That is, until the Golden State Warriors posted a video which documented the spectacle on their own YouTube channel, which you can now see here.

]]>God of War Exclusive Footage Was Projected On The Floor Of An NBA GameFear Effect Returns In A Tactical Action-Strategy Game Called Fear Effect SednaPlayStation 4Xbox OnePCNewsMatthew ArcillaTue, 13 Feb 2018 05:08:30 +0000http://www.toomuchgaming.net/blog-news/2018/2/fear-effect-returns-in-a-tactical-action-strategy-game-called-fear-effect-sedna56d5457d8259b57a20245e80:56d54601e32140fc7fd2ec38:5a823e28c83025d76ac714a6Not everyone was clamoring for new Fear Effect, but the series is well
remembered for its gorgeous style and for pushing the envelope by
aggressively selling the sapphic sexuality of its leads.

For the past two years, Square Enix has been quietly overseeing the resurrection of Fear Effect, a short lived action adventure franchise from the halcyon days of female fronted video games on the PlayStation.

Now it's been revealed that a new Fear Effect game is a real thing. Fear Effect Sedna is an isometric action tactics game co-written by series' original writer John Zuur Platten. It was developed by Sushee and Forever Entertainment under license from Square Enix, as part of the latter's forays into sub-licensing dormant IP to other companies.

Fear Effect Sedna will launch for PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Switch, and PC on March 6 for $19.99 / €19.99 / £15.99, Forever Entertainment announced. It will take leading femme fatale Hana Tsu-Vachel, her sorta sappho-erotic love interest Rain Qin and other series' mainstays into the world of Inuit mythology.

An overview of the game’s key features, via Forever Entertainment, lists: "real-time action, tactical play, stealth and puzzles" as core to the gameplay, the return of the adrenaline mechanic from previous Fear Effect games, and more "animated stylistic cutscenes" and "classic death cutscenes."

Fear Effect Sedna Release Date Announcement Trailer

While a new Fear Effect is definitely a surprise, it's not exactly an iconic series that everyone was clamoring for. Still, the series was well regarded for its gorgeous style as well as for pushing the envelope by aggressively marketing the lesbian undertones and physical relationship between its protagonists.

]]>Fear Effect Returns In A Tactical Action-Strategy Game Called Fear Effect SednaLet It Die Is Living The Good Life As It Scores Four Million DownloadsNewsPlayStation 4Carlos HernandezTue, 13 Feb 2018 04:22:46 +0000http://www.toomuchgaming.net/blog-news/2018/2/let-it-die-is-living-the-good-life-as-it-scores-four-million-downloads56d5457d8259b57a20245e80:56d54601e32140fc7fd2ec38:5a823eac8165f57d0cbdcf76Uncle Death is enjoying the ride.

Looks like Grasshopper Manufacture's free-to-play hack and slash game for the PS4 is building quite a community. GungHo Online Entertainment America has just announced that Let It Die has reached four million downloads in the PlayStation Store.

Let It Die was released back in December of 2016 and was what we'd expect from the makers of No More Heroes and Lollipop Chainsaw. When 2017 hit, the hack and slash game found itself hitting the one million milestone, and was apparently able to attract more players since then, sustaining itself with microtransactions. This is the first time the studio has tackled the free-to-play market and it seems to be going their way with it only out on the PS4.

“I am overjoyed that we were able to achieve four million downloads since Let It Die’s release a year ago,” said Kazuki Morishita, CEO of GungHo Online Entertainment. “Thank you to the fans for their continued support, and we will continue to produce more content so that Let It Die can be enjoyed for years to come.”

A trailer was released at the end of January, teasing players that more is coming to Let It Die in its second year.

I played it last year and it was actually fun climbing the Tower of Barbs. It can be challenging and you pretty much have to work with the items you make or pick up along the way, going through grotesque bosses and dealing with player characters that have died previously, roaming around to kill you.

]]>Let It Die Is Living The Good Life As It Scores Four Million DownloadsActivision's Microtransaction Income Last Year Was $4 Billion Because MicrotransactionsNewsMatthew ArcillaTue, 13 Feb 2018 00:39:22 +0000http://www.toomuchgaming.net/blog-news/2018/2/activision-blizzards-microtransaction-income-is-4-billion-because-microtransactions56d5457d8259b57a20245e80:56d54601e32140fc7fd2ec38:5a7e60dd652deaf3409c6b42Kind of unsurprising as given that every big game like Call of Duty: WWII,
Overwatch or Destiny 2 that Activision releases features microtransactions.

Microtransactions drove a majority of the income for Activision Blizzard last year. That's right, loot boxes, engrams as well as purchases made on mobile games like Candy Crush were the biggest source of revenue for the publisher.

During a meeting discussing the company's financial results, the publisher of Destiny 2 and Hearthstone revealed that although $7.16 billion represented a record figure in terms of revenue, about $4 billion of that money was generated by in-game purchases. That's right, less than half of their income is represented by actual games.

That isn't entirely surprising as not only are microtransactions a growing part of the game industry, but every big game the publisher releases features them. Whether we're talking Call of Duty: WWII, Overwatch or Destiny 2, there're loads of post-retail monetization mechanisms built into Activision Blizzard's games.

As alluded to above, Activision also owns King, the makers of Candy Crush and other games heavy with monetization mechanisms and microtransactions. Revenue from King is valued at $2 billion, which means that the PC and console in-game purchases make up the remaining $2 billion.

]]>Activision's Microtransaction Income Last Year Was $4 Billion Because MicrotransactionsMonster Hunter: World Player Started A Nature Documentary Series Set In Monster Hunter: WorldPlayStation 4Xbox OneNewsMatthew ArcillaMon, 12 Feb 2018 00:14:37 +0000http://www.toomuchgaming.net/blog-news/2018/2/monster-hunter-world-player-started-a-nature-documentary-series-set-in-monster-hunter-world56d5457d8259b57a20245e80:56d54601e32140fc7fd2ec38:5a7d67780d9297b92873b3e7One creative YouTuber put together a faux documentary treatment of the
game. He couldn't get David Attenborough to narrate, so he does a
reasonable impression of him instead.

It was inevitable. Between the lush wilderness and vicious fauna, the world of Monster Hunter, uh, World is an ideal setting for some cryptozoological documentarianism. Or that is to say, it makes for great "BBC Planet Earth" type material.

One creative YouTuber put together a faux documentary treatment of the game, with the first episode being an up-close look at the creatures that inhabit the Ancient Forest. Said YouTuber couldn't get David Attenborough to narrate, so he does a reasonable impression of him instead.

We get the impression that there are more episodes to come in this send-up of Monster Hunter. And if that's the case then I'm definitely looking forward to the Rotten Vale episode. Let's see what "Attenborough" has to say about dem corpses.

]]>Monster Hunter: World Player Started A Nature Documentary Series Set In Monster Hunter: World